Tag Archives: Faith

What You Need To Know First

Posted on January 2, 2024 by bibleteacherorg

2 Peter 1:19-21 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Christianity is very unique among all the other religions of the world because Christianity is God made. Last week we saw that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was NOT a fantasy or a myth made up to trick people. People saw Jesus, heard God the Father say “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I Am well pleased”, and were willing to die gruesome deaths rather than deny what they saw. Peter, James and John saw Jesus transfigured on Mount Tabor. Two out of three of these men died martyrs deaths, refusing to renounce Christ.

When God became Man (for Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us – Matthew 1:23), the Holy Spirit moved on Mary. The Bible says that Mary was told:

Luke 1:35 (ESV) … The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Mary was not perfect – but her Son, created of God, was perfect and sinless. Mary said when hearing the Angel,

Luke 1:46-47 (ESV) … My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in GOD MY SAVIOR …… Continue reading →

Posted in 2 Peter, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Bible is God's Word, Every Word Holy, Faith, Following Christ, gospel, Jesus, salvation, Scripture is True | Leave a comment

Witnesses Of Jesus

Posted on December 30, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

The Merriam-Webster dictionary always announces it’s “word of the year”. This year the “word of the year” is “AUTHENTIC”, which means “not false or imitation, real, actual”. Sadly, I don’t think most people understand what the word actually means. What I’ve seen advertised is “be your AUTHENTIC self”, and they attach this to transgenderism or some other abnormal fetish. Being authentic today is subjective, meaning to be true to your feelings. John Stonestreet of Breakpoint notes:

“This new definition of “authentic,” that what I feel inside is the highest truth, would have baffled people in centuries past and still baffles many non-Westerners today. However, the real problem is that this new definition of “authentic” is utter nonsense. Truth is not primarily subjective but objective. Reality is not decided by individuals but given by a Creator. One of the things our Creator both demands of us and enables us to do through redemption is conform our inner selves to His will and design, which He reveals, objectively, in both creation and Scripture.”

Comedian and Author Brad Stein – also a conservative Christian – said he had no problem understanding the difference between male and female as a child. He had a sister, and one Christmas his parents got them both bicycles. The girl’s bike has a bar in front of the seat that goes downward to the lower frame, whereas his bike – a boy’s bike – has a bar that is horizontal in front of the seat. Brad said that the first time he was standing up and slipped off the petals – he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was a boy!

That’s AUTHENTIC!… Continue reading →

Posted in 2 Peter, General, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Faith, Following Christ, God, God Is Faithful, Jesus, salvation | Leave a comment

God’s Blessings Come Through Little Things

Posted on December 15, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Luke 1:39-46 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord ..

I have a video from Homicide Detective J. Warner Wallace. He is a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center and an Adjunct Professor of Apologetics at the Talbot School of Theology. It’s only about three minutes – but it answers the question “Are there many ways to God?”

What makes Christianity unique is Christ Jesus Himself.

He was uniquely born into this world, unlike anyone who has ever been born. It was prophesied of God in the Old Testament that the Messiah or the Christ was going to come into this world uniquely through the Prophet Isaiah. Of all the Prophets of the Old Covenant, ALL heard the Voice of God but very few looked into Heaven. Ezekiel saw into Heaven, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Christmas Sermons, Sermons Preached | Tagged Advent, Bible, Christmas, Christmas Story, Faith, Jesus, love God, no works no salvation, obedience, salvation | Leave a comment

God Used A Little Old Couple

Posted on December 8, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

How did we come by December 25th as the time to celebrate Christ’s birth? The earliest Pastors believed that Christ was crucified on the 15th of Nisan, 33 AD. Many Bible scholars consider this to be March 25th. Around 300 years after Christ’s crucifixion the Church came to believe that Jesus was concieved 9 months from March 25th, the day that He died on the Cross. … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas Sermons, Luke, Sermons Preached | Tagged Bible, Christ, christianity, Faith, God, God Is Faithful, gospel, Jesus, photography, prayer, salvation, writing | Leave a comment

Nature Of The Christian

Posted on December 6, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ…..

Let’s start with these ten words. C.H. Spurgeon noted that one of the signs of spiritual maturity is to realize how weak you are, but how great Christ is. He said:

“Get to Christ somehow, anyhow, for if you get to Him you shall live. It is not the greatness nor the perfection of your faith, it is His greatness and His perfection which is to be depended on.”

As Peter begins this letter, let’s note how he begins it:… Continue reading →

Posted in 2 Peter | Tagged art, books, Christ, Faith, Following Christ, food, love, love God, photography, poetry, travel, writing | Leave a comment

The “S” Word

Posted on November 20, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Slide 2
Slide 3 Air Force Boot Camp

I remember very vividly the day I got off the bus at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The drill instructor got onto the bus, and looked us over. As he did, he said “I see you all are in different clothing, and with different lengths of hair. We want to make your stay here as peaceful as possible. I’m your drill instructor, but I want you to regard me as your friend and momma. For the next 8 weeks I’m going to do my best not to hurt your feelings. If you’ll get off the bus, I’ll show you where the accomodations are. And if at any time you feel uncomfortable, let me know – and we’ll do everything we can to accommodate you.”… Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Peter, Sermons Preached | Tagged Faith, Following Christ, Jesus Christ, prayer, salvation | Leave a comment

Being Born Again

Posted on August 7, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

1 Peter 1:22-25 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Children of Adam are to act one way – but Children of God are to act another way. Children of Adam act the way they act because they are driven by the flesh. But Children of God act differently because they are driven by the Spirit.

Children Of Adam Are Born To Lust
Children Of God Are Born To Love

Though “Lust” and “Love” both have four letters and begin with the letter “L”, no two words could be more different. “Lust” is love INWARD, self satisfaction, self pleasure, self gratification. “Love” is love OUTWARD, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, treating others with respect whether they deserve it or not. We read:

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

What “purifies your soul”? It is to “obeying the truth through the Spirit”. What is “THE TRUTH”? It is what God has said. God is the Source of all Truth. When God passed by Moses He told that grand old Believer:… Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Peter, Sermons Preached | Tagged Christ, Faith, God Is Faithful, love, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

Praising God For Salvation

Posted on July 9, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Please turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 1. Last week we discussed the importance of being born again. This is something that only God can do FOR you. Jesus said:

John 3:6-7 (AP*) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised that I tell you, you MUST be BORN AGAIN.

So many people think “I’ll put off coming to Jesus, giving my life to Him until later in life”. Beloved, TODAY is the day of salvation. Consider these statistics:

There are about 7.8 BILLION people on the earth, and around 36 million have died this year. Every year, 40-50 million children are murdered through abortion. As people despair of their very lives, there have been 700,000 suicides. Others try to escape depression through drugs. 246 Billion Dollars were spent on illegal drugs so far this year.
We all need Jesus!
We all need God’s Spirit to give us life!

Author Mark Twain wrote before his death:

“A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;…they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; …those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief. {Physical death comes, and} … they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence, a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever.”… Continue reading →

Posted in 1 Peter, Sermons Preached | Tagged Faith, Following Christ, Jesus Christ, love God, salvation | Leave a comment

The Strange Case Of Samson, Part 2

Posted on May 28, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Last week we saw Samson – a Nazarite from his mother’s womb (Judges 13:5) – infuriated because he lost a bet with a number of Philistines. His Philistine wife was threatened with being burned with fire (Judges 14:15) if she did not betray Samson’s trust and get the answer to the riddle he had given them. Samson’s wife wept before Samson and declared “you don’t love me” until he told her the answer to the riddle. Once she heard it, she told the Philistines – causing Samson to go home to his father (Judges 14:19).

Anything Without God Leads To Misery

Though Samson was supposed to be a Nazarite, dedicated to the service of God, he was a very poor Nazarite at best. Samson was absolutely NOT a good example of how a husband should treat his wife. Our Lord Jesus said of marriage:

Matthew 19:4-6 (ESV) “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Jesus was quoting from Genesis 2:24, and I am certain that Samson had seen that portion of Scripture. Yet he, in anger, left his wife. His first error in judgment was marrying outside of the faith. The Scripture says:… Continue reading →

Posted in Judges, Sermons Preached | Tagged ego, Faith, Following Christ, fornication, God Is Faithful, Philistines, prayer, self defeating, sexual immorality, sin | Leave a comment

Working The Works Of God

Posted on May 26, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

John 6:22-29 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

The Mystery Of The Manna & Christ

Last week we saw Jesus feeding above 5000 people with two fish and five small biscuits. At the end of the meal, the disciples took up twelve baskets of bread that was not needed. This was God’s way of showing us that Jesus is God’s Manna from Heaven.

Just as God provided manna for Israel as they journeyed toward the Promised Land of Canaan, God provides Jesus to SAVE us, to SHEPHERD us, to FEED and PROTECT us as we head toward our Promised Land. … Continue reading →